Festival of Saint Ulpia Candidia the Martyr

A devotion spanning over two centuries

The Festival of Saint Ulpia Candidia the Martyr is the main religious event in Pozzaglia Sabina, a small village in the Province of Rieti, Lazio, perched on the slopes of the Lucretili Mountains on the border between the Sabina region and the Aniene Valley. For over two hundred years, the community has honored its patron saint with a celebration that has never turned into a tourist spectacle: it remains an intimate, deeply felt village feast where the entire community gathers around the parish church.

Who was Saint Ulpia Candidia

Very little is known about Saint Ulpia Candidia. Tradition holds that she was a martyr, killed around the age of thirty-five, likely during the reign of Diocletian, although her name does not appear in official martyrologies. Her body was exhumed from the Catacombs of Saint Agnes in Rome and donated to the village by Don Nicola Petrucci; solemnly transported to Pozzaglia during the pontificate of Clement XII, it has rested since 1758 under the high altar of the parish church of San Nicola di Bari. Since then, the people of Pozzaglia have invoked her with faith in times of need and gratefully acknowledge the blessings received through her intercession.

The opening of the urn

The most intense moment of the event is the ceremony during which the urn containing the saint's mortal remains is opened. It is a sober and moving ritual, accompanied by the singing of Marian litanies performed by the brass band and the faithful, in an atmosphere charged with emotion that touches even first-time observers. During those hours, the church fills well beyond its usual capacity as emigrant families, children, and grandchildren of Pozzaglia return from Rome and the rest of Italy.

The procession of the silver icon

The main religious celebration takes place on Sunday, when the patron saint's image is carried through the streets of the village. The most distinctive feature of Pozzaglia lies right here: three women dressed in costumes resembling those of ancient Roman matrons, holding traditional candles, carry a beautiful silver icon depicting the martyr in procession. The pageant winds through the stone alleys of the historic center, accompanied by the band, amidst decorated houses and lanes that open onto views of the Sabina countryside.

A movable date linked to Pentecost

The event does not have a fixed date on the calendar: it follows the movable liturgical cycle of Pentecost, usually falling between late May and mid-June. The opening of the urn, celebrated in the days immediately following Pentecost, is followed by the Sunday of the main feast with a solemn mass and procession. Those wishing to attend should verify the exact dates for the current year with the Municipality of Pozzaglia Sabina or the parish, as they vary from year to year.

The village and its other saint

Pozzaglia Sabina has just over three hundred inhabitants and is also known for being the birthplace of Saint Agostina Pietrantoni, the Sister of Charity martyred in Rome in 1894 and canonized by John Paul II, who is celebrated in the village on the second Sunday of September. With the Grotto of Saint Michael the Archangel and the birthplace of Saint Agostina, the village is a small, quiet destination for religious tourism, immersed in the greenery of the Lucretili Mountains Park.

Why it is worth attending

Those seeking an authentic patronal feast, far from the beaten paths of Lazio, will find in Pozzaglia a celebration that has remained true to itself: no stages, no noisy fairs, but an ancient rite, the sound of the band echoing through stone houses, and the spontaneous hospitality of a small community. It is also an opportunity to discover a corner of the Rieti Sabina that few visitors know.